Crash reignites safety debate; but Daytona fans want 'thrill'

Friday

Feb 21, 2014 at 5:30 AMFeb 21, 2014 at 10:54 AM

By Skyler Swisherskyler.swisher@news-jrnl.com

DAYTONA BEACH — Several spectators at Thursday's race said they weren't worried about another crash that ripped a hole in a grandstand safety fence at Daytona International Speedway because they want to be close to the action and know it carries risk. But an Orlando attorney is accusing the Speedway of not doing enough to protect fans after the crash during Sprint Cup practice Wednesday afternoon. The Speedway shouldn't allow spectators to be near the fence, which fans assume will protect them from debris, said Matt Morgan, who is representing seven people injured when debris entered the stands last year during a race on Feb. 23, 2013. “If I were in charge, the first thing I would do is move the grandstands back away from the fence,” he said. “I would not allow fans to sit right up on that fence. I would make sure the barrier is incapable of being penetrated.” But Steve Hopkins, 35, of Waverly, Ohio, said he knows with cars zipping around the track at 200 mph, something could go wrong. He showed a video that he took on his phone while standing near the fence of a car whooshing by in a flash. “You buy the ticket, and you know you are taking the risk — high speeds,” said Hopkins, who sat on row 20. “You are wanting that thrill.” Speedway officials and witnesses said it appeared no debris went into the stands in Wednesday's crash, although one of the cars ripped a hole in the safety fence. Track officials declined to answer questions but provided a written statement, assuring fans that their facility is safe. “Safety is always our primary concern, and we continue to take every measure available to ensure all our guests have a memorable and enjoyable experience,” Lenny Santiago, a spokesman for the track, wrote in an email Thursday. “We made enhancements to our safety fence based on studies as a result of last year's incident and are proud of the way the fence performed yesterday — it did what it was designed to do.”During the Drive4COPD 300 Nationwide Series race last year, debris flew into the stands during a last-lap crash, injuring at least 28 fans, including 14 who were transported to local hospitals. The track recruited two engineering firms to study how to improve safety at the track and reinforced crossover gates, where fencing opens and closes to allow fans to move from the infield into the stands before a race. That's where the wreck happened last year, which sent parts of driver Kyle Larson's car into the stands. During a Sprint Cup practice session on Wednesday, the No. 30 Toyota of Parker Kligerman flipped into the air and on top of another car, carrying it along a protective barrier that lines the inside of the wall. During Kligerman's slide, it appeared his car's fender caught and ripped the fence.Few fans were in the stands at the time, and the wreck happened in almost the same spot as it did last year. It took just over an hour to replace a severed cable and repair some of the mesh fencing along 120 linear feet on the frontstretch. Seven-time Cup champ Richard Petty said back when he raced there weren't any catch fences, and NASCAR has done its best to keep the fans safe.“Over a period of time, NASCAR is doing, I think, a super job of making the track safer,” he said. “They're doing everything they can to keep everything in the area to keep it out of the grandstands.”Richard Cockerill, 44, of Jacksonville Beach said he thinks the Speedway has made great strides in terms of safety since he attended his first race at Daytona 25 years ago. The infield used to be called “sin city” by some, but it has grown much tamer and safer, he said. He opposes distancing fans from the action. Cockerill sat on row 23 and would have sat closer. “It'd take away from the fan experience,” he said. “That's what draws us here — to feel the speed.” Morgan, the attorney, said he will enter into settlement talks in April on behalf of the seven fans injured last year and plans to sue if the issue is not resolved. He has four years from the date of injury to file suit. One of his clients — Whitney Turner, 34 — suffered a severed Achilles' tendon and broken leg in last year's crash. The Speedway has been in discussions with representatives of several race fans, but is not discussing the matter publicly, Santiago said.Staff Writer Chris Graham contributed to this report.